Plum Lucky (Stephanie Plum 13.50)

“Can he understand me?”

“Yep. See, that’s the mistake people make. Everyone thinks just because animals can’t talk means they can’t understand.”

I thought about Morelli’s dog, Bob. I was pretty sure Bob didn’t understand a damn thing.

“Go ahead,” Snuggy said to Doug. “Give her a sign that you understand.”

Doug blinked.

“See,” Snuggy said. “Impressive, hunh?”

“That was it? A blink?”

“Oh man,” Diesel said. “We are so fucked.”

Doug moved to the side and stepped on Diesel’s foot. Diesel gave him a shot to the shoulder and Doug moved over, off Diesel’s foot.

“Okay,” I said, “now that each of you has marked your territory on the fire hydrant, can we get on with it?”

“We brought the RV instead of your car because it has a tow hitch, but they didn’t leave the horse trailer,” Snuggy said. “I borrowed a horse trailer from a friend, and they took it when they took Doug, and it’s not here.”

“Maybe you can ride him back,” Diesel said.

“I can’t ride him back on the highway!” Snuggy said. “And anyway, he has a bad leg. It hurts when he walks on it too much.”

We all looked down at Doug’s leg. It had a bandage wrapped around it.

“Put him in the RV,” Diesel said.

Snuggy and I did an openmouthed What?

Diesel was looking a quart down on patience. “Do you have any better ideas?”

Snuggy and I shook our heads. We didn’t have any ideas.

“We’re wasting time,” Diesel said.

Snuggy took Doug’s halter and led him over to the door of the RV. There were three steps going up, and the door opening looked maybe a half-?inch wider than Doug’s ass.

Doug planted his feet firm on the ground and gave Snuggy a look that I swear said Are you insane?

“Up you go,” Snuggy said. “Into the RV.”

Doug didn’t budge.

Snuggy went into telepathic mode, nodding his head, looking sympathetic.

“I understand your concern,” Snuggy said to Doug, “but you have nothing to worry about. You have to make a tight turn when you first get in, but then you’ll have plenty of room.”

More telepathy.

“I’m driving,” Snuggy said to Doug.

Doug still didn’t move.

“What are you talking about?” Snuggy said. “I’m a good driver. I brought you around the track to win at Freehold.”

Doug rolled his eyes.